News

Foster seeks to set aside legal challenge on legacy

Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster
Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster

Former First Minister Arlene Foster is seeking to set aside a decision that she should face a personal legal challenge over funding for legacy inquests in Northern Ireland, the High Court has heard.

Attorney General John Larkin QC has been instructed to argue that the Democratic Unionist Party leader should be a notice party rather than respondent in proceedings brought by the widow of an innocent civilian shot dead along with eight IRA men.

Brigid Hughes is seeking to judicially review the administrations at Stormont and Westminster for failing to release the financial resources necessary to hold inquests into Troubles-related killings.

Her husband, Anthony, died after being unwittingly caught up in the SAS ambush of an IRA unit at Loughgall, Co Armagh in May 1987.

Mrs Foster was joined as a further respondent in the challenge amid claims that she blocked Executive discussion of a funding plan to clear the backlog of legacy inquests.

Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan has called for urgent action to fund his blueprint for having all cases dealt with within five years.

With the cost of the plan estimated at around £10m, the government has said resources will not be released until political consensus is reaching on dealing with the past.

A further hearing next month is set to determine whether Mrs Foster's status should be changed.